Appearances

Skype Visits

Skype visits are a great way to visit an author without the expense of a full day school visit.

Presentations:

Varies according to needs of students. Possibilities include:

K-1 Reading and Book Talk. I’ll do a reading (or two!) and talk about the book(s).

Grades 2-5 Author Q & A (recommended that students have read at least one book and have questions written out in advance).

Grades 2-5 Writing is Fun! Various kinds of writing for kids; poetry, riddle-writing, songs, story, non-fiction. Discussion on various ways kids can write for school, fun and recreation.

Audiences:

Kindergarten through Grade 5

Available Times:

Monday – Friday. Times are flexible, but please note I am on Pacific Standard Time.

Free “Meet the Author” Visit:

10 minutes

Author Q & A length:

K-Grade 1: 20-30 minutes

Grades 2-5: 30-40 minutes

Fees:

K-1 Reading and Book Talk: $100

Grades 2-5 Author Q & A or Writing is Fun!: $150

Book Orders:

I encourage schools to work with their local bookstore/bookseller. Autographed books make for a more memorable author visit and of course, encourage a child to read! You can work with your own local bookstore/bookseller and I’ll happily send autographed book plates.

Prerequisites:

Students must have read at least one of my books to familiarize themselves with my work.

School Visits & Workshops

Assembly

Grades K-2: 35 minutes
Grades 3-5: 45-50 minutes

Afternoon kindergarten visits can also be arranged (30 minutes, story reading. No Q & A).

Writing is fun! That’s the message I want kids to hear. In my multi-sensory and interactive assembly, in accordance with CA State writing standards, children will get an in-depth look at writing. I’ll teach children about joke writing, story creation, the revision process and give writing tips. I’ll also share a bit of how my own childhood and personal experiences have contributed to my becoming a writer so students will see that their own life experiences contribute to who they will become as adults.

Classroom Questions and Answers

Grades 3-5, 30 minutes. These class visits (often held in the library, sometimes attended by lottery or writing contest) follow the assemblies and are done in a Q and A format to allow students to intereact with me. I recomment students write out their questions in advance, after reading my book(s).

Student Writing Workshops

Grades 3-5: 45-50 minutes

Recently, some schools are preferring to forego assemblies and ask authors to work directly with students via hands-on writing workshops. I focus on different kinds of writing for each grade level (story creation, poetry, joke-writing) while discussing the writing process and elements of writing.

Children’s Writing Workshop for Adults

The ABCs of Writing for Children (3.5 hours)

Have you ever dreamed of writing for children? In this overview of the children’s writing field (with an emphasis on picture books), I’ll cover children’s genres, developing story basics, the picture book format, manuscript formatting, the submission process and recommended resources.

The ABCs of Writing EZ Readers (3.5 hours)

While writing easy readers can be like juggling chainsaws, it CAN be done! Discover how to write this critical genre for young readers. Learn about easy reader levels, word lists, use of rhythm and rhyme, illustration, story arcs, markets and writing tips.